• by Colin Kirkland , June 22, 2023

TikTok’s chief operating officer V. Pappas has resigned, setting off a full executive-level reshuffling along with longtime Disney communications chief Zenia Mucha joining the ByteDance-owned social-media network in a newly created role.

TikTok CEO Shou Chew outlined the sudden changes in a company-wide memo, writing that TikTok's chief of staff Adam Presser will become the company's head of operations, with Zenia Mucha taking over the new role of TikTok's chief brand and communications officer.

Chew explained in the memo that he “greatly benefited” from Mucha's “counsel and perspective” during her time as a TikTok consultant over the last few months.

“She has tremendous instincts and has a strong vision for how best to grow and support the business,” Chew wrote, adding that he and Mucha agree that “it is essential that we widen the aperture of our Marketing and Communications functions to further fortify TikTok” as a respected brand and leading entertainment platform.

At Disney, Mucha led a 500-person global media relations team and served as the company's top spokesperson for over two decades, leading communications for Disney's strategic business initiatives such as Pixar, Marvel, Lucasfulm and 21st Century Fox acquisitions.

As for Adam Presser, Chew said that he will continue to lead TikTok’s project management office while assuming responsibility for global operations, including content, user operations and distribution.

In a further executive overhaul, “Lindsay Thomas and Kim Pham will join the Project Management Office and Nicole Iacopetti, Isaac Bess, Seth Melnick, and the Regional Operations and Marketing Leads – Rich Waterworth, Kim Farrell, Yoichi Sato, Angga Putra, Kinda Ibrahim, and Marisa Hammonds – will report to Adam,” explained Chew.

The news surfaces as TikTok faces another wave of government scrutiny over its connections to China-based parent company ByteDance, with pressure continuing to mount from both parties in Congress surrounding the assumption that TikTok poses as a way for the Chinese government to harvest user data.

“Installing Mucha is a key step as the company looks to counter growing criticism on many fronts due to its parent company’s roots in China and claims that it serves up inappropriate content to children and lets objectionable videos circulate,” wrote Deadline in response to the news.